How do we come up with the rankings? Well, we wait until after Week 5 to release our first set. And there are numerous variables at play, chief among them who a team has beaten and where. But we also have a "what have you done for me lately?" mindset, and consider the rankings a snapshot of the whole season, not just one game; that's why -- at times -- teams are ranked below a team they may have beaten. In addition, if a tiebreaker is needed, it's who we think would win on a neutral field.

We update these every Tuesday at 1:20 p.m. Eastern time, so if your team isn't where you think it should be, check back in a week.

On to the rankings:

Mike Huguenin's 120 at 1:20

1. Oregon (6-0)
BUZZ: The Ducks have this week off to prepare for what should be a tough stretch run, as each of their remaining opponents have legit bowl hopes. NEXT: vs. UCLA, Oct. 21

2. Ohio State (6-0)
BUZZ: The Buckeyes have two tough games left; one of them is Saturday in what is sure to be a raucous Camp Randall Stadium. NEXT: at Wisconsin, Saturday

3. Boise State (5-0)
BUZZ: The Broncos can twiddle their thumbs until their Nov. 26 game at Nevada, which has the potential to be the biggest WAC game in history because both could be (should be?) unbeaten. NEXT: at San Jose State, Saturday

4. TCU (6-0)
BUZZ: If ever a top-five team has flown under the radar, it's the Horned Frogs. The defense, as usual, shuts down opponents, and there's a potent rushing attack. NEXT: vs. BYU, Saturday

5. Oklahoma (5-0)
BUZZ: The Sooners have been far from dominant, especially on defense. But they've beaten some good teams and control their own destiny. NEXT: vs. Iowa State, Saturday

6. Nebraska (5-0)
BUZZ: The prelims are over; it starts to get tough this weekend for the Huskers. NEXT: vs. Texas, Saturday

7. Auburn (6-0)
BUZZ: This weekend is the first of two huge back-to-back home games for the Tigers, who face Arkansas and LSU in potentially season-defining games. NEXT: vs. Arkansas, Saturday

8. Alabama (5-1)
BUZZ: The Tide's 19-game winning streak came to an end because their rushing attack was shut down and because South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia picked apart their secondary. NEXT: vs. Ole Miss, Saturday

9. Iowa (4-1)
BUZZ: Iowa's offense should have a productive day against the Wolverines, but the defense will be tested. NEXT: at Michigan, Saturday

10. Stanford (5-1)
BUZZ: It didn't match last season's beatdown of USC, but a last-minute drive gave the Cardinal their first two-game winning streak over the Trojans since 2000-01. NEXT: vs. Washington State, Oct. 23

11. South Carolina (4-1)
BUZZ: Steve Spurrier got his program-defining victory. Now, the Gamecocks need to prove they can live with success. NEXT: at Kentucky, Saturday

12. Utah (5-0)
BUZZ: The Utes have scored at least 56 points in three consecutive games, including dropping 68 on the Big 12's Iowa State on Saturday. NEXT: at Wyoming, Saturday

18. Oklahoma State (5-0)
BUZZ: You want to scare a Cowboy? Just whisper the word "Lubbock" to him. Oklahoma State is 0-6 at Texas Tech since the inception of the Big 12, losing each game by an average of 24.7 points. NEXT: at Texas Tech, Saturday

19. Wisconsin (5-1)
BUZZ: OK, so we know Bret Bielema's "card" says to go by two up by 25. Hmmm -- wonder what the card says when you're up by 32 or 39. We're betting the card says, "Go for 2 in this situation when you're playing your oldest rival and they're too bad to do anything about it."
NEXT: vs. Ohio State, Saturday

20. Air Force (5-1)
BUZZ: The Falcons play three of their next four on the road -- and the lone home game in that span is against Utah. NEXT: at San Diego State, Saturday

21. Missouri (5-0)
BUZZ: Mizzou is coming off its most impressive victory of the season. But the opponent was Colorado, which means the Tigers still are somewhat of a mystery. NEXT: at Texas A&M, Saturday

22. Nevada (6-0)
BUZZ: Most folks like to visit Hawaii. But not the Wolf Pack. They have played Hawaii five times in Honolulu in conference play, and Hawaii has won all five by a total of 79 points. NEXT: at Hawaii, Saturday

23. Oregon State (3-2)
BUZZ: The Beavers handed Arizona its first loss Saturday. And their two losses are to unbeatens Boise and TCU. NEXT: at Washington, Saturday

24. Virginia Tech (4-2)
BUZZ: The Hokies are in the midst of a four-game homestand, and Wake Forest and Duke are up next. ... Hey, stop that giggling, Coach Beamer. That's not nice. NEXT: vs. Wake Forest, Saturday

25. West Virginia (4-1)
BUZZ: Ladies and gentlemen, the best team in the Big East -- the Mountaineers. (Yes, we know that's akin to being the best beer among Black Label, Keystone Light and Milwaukee's Best, but, hey, someone has to be at the top.) NEXT: vs. USF, Thursday

26. N.C. State (5-1)
BUZZ: The Wolfpack step out of conference for the last time this week, then face Florida State and Clemson in back-to-back games that will define the season. NEXT: at East Carolina, Saturday

27. Florida (4-2)
BUZZ: The Gators are searching for something -- anything -- good to happen on offense. Meanwhile, their former offensive coordinator comes to town Saturday. NEXT: vs. Mississippi State, Saturday

28. Michigan (5-1)
BUZZ: The euphoria of the 5-0 start is gone. Now comes the realization that with this defense, three or even four more losses are a distinct possibility. NEXT: at Iowa, Saturday

29. Miami (3-2)
BUZZ: Remember all that talk before the Ohio State game about how the "U" was back? It has been replaced by the "Randy Shannon must go!" talk. NEXT: at Duke, Saturday

30. USC (4-2)
BUZZ: Another week, another lackluster defensive effort. Who would have thought that Lane's offense would be a lot better than Monte's defense? NEXT: vs. California, Saturday

31. Georgia Tech (4-2)
BUZZ: After what should be a breather against Middle Tennessee State, the Yellow Jackets dive back into ACC play with a three-game stretch featuring road trips to Clemson and Virginia Tech and a visit from Miami. NEXT: vs. Middle Tennessee, Saturday

32. North Carolina (3-2)
BUZZ: Some are asking how UNC will function without Marvin Austin, Greg Little and Robert Quinn. Well, those guys hadn't played a minute all season, so the answer probably is you can't miss what you didn't have. NEXT: at Virginia, Saturday

33. Notre Dame (3-3)
BUZZ: This week's visit from Western Michigan will mark the first time in school history that Notre Dame has played a MAC opponent. NEXT: vs. Western Michigan, Saturday

34. California (3-2)
BUZZ: A win Saturday could lead to a big season. A loss and a 6-6 finish is a possibility. NEXT: at USC, Saturday

36. Mississippi State (4-2)
BUZZ: The Bulldogs' losses have come to unbeaten teams, and they get a big chance to make a statement Saturday night in the Swamp, against an offensively challenged Florida team. NEXT: at Florida, Saturday

37. UCLA (3-3)
BUZZ: In its three wins, UCLA has averaged 322.3 rushing yards per game. That number falls by almost 200 (123.7 ypg) in the three losses. NEXT: at Oregon, Nov. 21

38. Texas (3-2)
BUZZ: The Longhorns can gain back a lot of lost respect if they win in Lincoln on Saturday. UCLA ran all over Texas. What will Nebraska do? NEXT: at Nebraska, Saturday

39. Northwestern (5-1)
BUZZ: Northwestern was looking for its first 6-0 start since 1962. It's still looking after falling in an upset to Purdue. NEXT: vs. Michigan State, Oct. 23

40. Illinois (3-2)
BUZZ: All of a sudden, the Illini look as if they could go bowling. The teams that have beaten them are undefeated, and they manhandled Penn State on the road. NEXT: at Michigan State, Saturday

41. Kansas State (4-1)
BUZZ: The Wildcats got a big dose of reality last week when Nebraska ran past, over and through them. Can they bounce back this week against their archrival? NEXT: zzzz

42. Texas Tech (3-2)
BUZZ: There were some people who thought Tech could lose to Baylor last week. Evidently, those folks don't know that the Red Raiders own the Bears; they now have won 15 in a row in the series. NEXT: vs. Oklahoma State, Saturday

43. SMU (4-2)
BUZZ: Who say June Jones teams need to score to win? The Mustangs held off a high-powered Tulsa team 21-18 to take control in the West Division of Conference USA. NEXT: at Navy, Saturday

44. Penn State (3-3)
BUZZ: The offense is a bigger problem than expected; the Nittany Lions have scored 16 points in two Big Ten games, and are coming off a 20-point thrashing at the hands of Illinois -- in Happy Valley. NEXT: at Minnesota, Oct. 23

45. Iowa State (3-3)
BUZZ: Coach Paul Rhoads is a former defensive coordinator, and he can't be happy that his defense has allowed 106 points in the past two games. The next two games are at Oklahoma and at Texas. NEXT: at Oklahoma, Saturday

46. Northern Illinois (4-2)
BUZZ: The tough part of the schedule is over, and NIU should be 10-2 when it plays in the MAC title game in December. NEXT: vs. Buffalo, Saturday

47. East Carolina (3-2)
BUZZ: ECU fought back from a 20-0 first-quarter deficit to win at Southern Miss, and the Pirates might again be the team to beat in the East Division of C-USA. NEXT: vs. NC State, Saturday

48. Temple (4-2)
BUZZ: Bernard Pierce has had just 13 carries in the past three games, and when Pierce is hurt, the offense suffers. NEXT: vs. Bowling Green, Saturday

49. Clemson (2-3)
BUZZ: The rush defense has been surprisingly mediocre. At least three of the next four games are at home. NEXT: vs. Maryland, Saturday

50. Ole Miss (3-2)
BUZZ: South Carolina used a bye week to spring an upset of Alabama. Pardon us if we don't think Ole Miss will do the same. NEXT: at Alabama, Saturday

51. San Diego State (3-2)
BUZZ: Are the Aztecs for real? This week's game will tell a lot. NEXT: vs. Air Force, Saturday

52. Arizona State (3-3)
BUZZ: Last week's win at Washington was the first over a FBS foe; the Sun Devils need to get to seven wins for bowl eligibility and that is going to be tough. NEXT: at California, Oct. 23

54. Houston (3-2)
BUZZ: The Cougars lost a lot when QB Case Keenum went down. Indeed, they no longer can be considered the favorite in the West Division of C-USA. NEXT: at Rice, Saturday

55. Boston College (2-3)
BUZZ: BC has been abysmal on offense. But all is not lost, as the schedule in November is easy. Getting through the rest of October, though, could be difficult. NEXT: at Florida State, Saturday

56. UCF (3-2)
BUZZ: True freshman QB Jeffrey Godfrey has provided a spark for the offense. The defense never was a question. NEXT: at Marshall, Wednesday

57. Maryland (4-1)
BUZZ: The Terps have a nice record, but are they really this good? Four of their next five are on the road. NEXT: at Clemson, Saturday

58. Southern Miss (4-2)
BUZZ: Southern Miss jumped out to a 20-0 lead in its C-USA showdown with East Carolina, then suffered a meltdown -- four personal-foul penalties and an ejection -- in the second quarter on the way to a one-point loss. NEXT: at Memphis, Saturday

59. Colorado (3-2)
BUZZ: The Buffs are averaging 18,2 points per game, but the defense -- especially against the run -- has been solid. A winning record may depend on winning this week. NEXT: vs. Baylor, Saturday

60. Baylor (4-2)
BUZZ: The Bears have lost twice -- and they have given up 45 in each of those losses. Good news is that the next opponent is Colorado, and it would take the Buffs two games to get to 45. NEXT: at Colorado, Saturday

61. Pittsburgh (2-3)
BUZZ: The season sure hasn't gone as expected. But the next three are against Syracuse, Rutgers and Louisville, so the Panthers still can start 3-0 in Big East play. NEXT: at Syracuse, Saturday

62. Navy (3-2)
BUZZ: The Midshipmen have played just one home game thus far. Good news is that the next three and five of the next six are at home. NEXT: vs. SMU, Saturday

63. Kentucky (3-3)
BUZZ: UK has lost three in a row after a 3-0 start, but at least the Wildcats made Auburn sweat -- a lot -- on Saturday. NEXT: vs. South Carolina, Saturday

64. Indiana (3-2)
BUZZ: The Hoosiers were feeling good about themselves after taking Michigan to the wire. Then, they had to play Ohio State. And bad news for coach Bill Lynch: IU can't play Michigan again this season. NEXT: vs. Arkansas State, Saturday

65. Connecticut (3-3)
BUZZ: Defense was supposed to lead the way for the Huskies, but they've surrendered at least 27 points in each of their losses. NEXT: at Louisville, Oct. 23

66. Cincinnati (2-3)
BUZZ: The state of the Big East is such that Cincinnati looks to have a legit chance to defend its league title. NEXT: at Louisville, Friday

67. Louisville (3-2)
BUZZ: The Cardinals look to have a plan on both sides of the ball this season. If nothing else, new coach Charlie Strong has that going for him this season. NEXT: vs. Cincinnati, Friday

68. Georgia (2-4)
BUZZ: Man, nothing like playing Tennessee when things aren't going well. And, all of a sudden, things are looking up a bit. The next four games: Vandy, Kentucky, Florida and Idaho State. NEXT: vs. Vanderbilt, Saturday

69. Syracuse (4-1)
BUZZ: Are the Orange for real? We'll know in the next two weeks, as they have Pittsburgh and West Virginia back-to-back. NEXT: vs. Pittsburgh, Saturday

70. USF (3-2)
BUZZ: USF is coming off a home loss to Syracuse, and each of its next three games is a non-Saturday affair. NEXT: at West Virginia, Thursday

71. UTEP (5-1)
BUZZ: The Miners are one win from bowl eligibility, and considering that the next three foes are UAB, Tulane and Marshall, it's a darned good bet they get that requisite sixth victory. NEXT: at UAB, Saturday

72. Tulsa (3-3)
BUZZ: Tulsa's pass defense is last in the nation; that's to be expected when you've surrendered at least 381 passing yards three times. NEXT: vs. Tulane, Saturday

73. Tennessee (2-4)
BUZZ: You know it's going bad for the Vols when a struggling Georgia team romps to a 27-point victory. The Vols get this week off, then get Alabama and South Carolina in back-to-back weeks. NEXT: vs. Alabama, Oct. 23

74. Purdue (3-2)
BUZZ: Who needs to throw the ball? Purdue went to the ground behind new starting QB Rob Henry to hand Northwestern its first loss. Henry, by the way, followed Florida's John Brantley as the starting quarterback at Ocala (Fla.) Trinity Catholic. Henry is a good runner, Brantley isn't. NEXT: vs. Minnesota, Saturday

75. Troy (3-2)
BUZZ: The Trojans already have beaten their main Sun Belt challenger, so a fifth consecutive league title looks to be there for the taking. NEXT: vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Saturday

78. BYU (2-4)
BUZZ: Just when it looked as if the season had spiraled out of control, the Cougars regrouped and beat San Diego State. NEXT: at TCU, Saturday

79. Virginia (2-3)
BUZZ: The Cavaliers play their next three -- and four of their next five -- at home. Coach Mike London needs to toughen up both his lines. NEXT: vs. North Carolina, Saturday

80. Fresno State (3-2)
BUZZ: The secondary was torched in last Saturday's loss to Hawaii. But the next three games are eminently winnable. NEXT: vs. New Mexico State, Saturday

81. Idaho (3-2)
BUZZ: The Vandals are sixth in the nation in passing offense. Imagine what QB Nathan Enderle could do if he didn't face so much pressure; the Vandals are last in the nation in sacks allowed, at 4.2 per game. NEXT: at Louisiana Tech, Saturday

83. Army (4-2)
BUZZ: Army has won three road games this season. That's the most road wins for the Black Knights in a season since 1967. NEXT: vs. Rutgers in East Rutherford, N.J., Saturday

84. Wyoming (2-4)
BUZZ: Wyoming lost to Texas by 27. The Cowboys were beaten by 45 by both Boise and TCU. NEXT: vs. Utah, Saturday

85. Toledo (3-3)
BUZZ: The Rockets scored 31 points in winning at Purdue. They have scored 29 points in the two games since. NEXT: vs. Kent State, Saturday

86. Wake Forest (2-4)
BUZZ: Wake has lost its past two on last-minute TD passes. To make matters worse, the teams pulling the trick were Georgia Tech and Navy, not exactly known for their pass-happy offenses. NEXT: at Virginia Tech, Saturday

88. Miami of Ohio (3-3)
BUZZ: In their three losses, the RedHawks have been outscored 130-28. NEXT: at Central Michigan, Saturday

89. Kansas (2-3)
BUZZ: This is a big week for the Jayhawks. Their archrival comes in Thursday and -- more important -- basketball practice begins Friday. NEXT: vs. Kansas State, Thursday

90. Tulane (2-3)
BUZZ: The defense has shown some signs of life, especially in a win at Rutgers. But the offense can't get going, especially the rushing attack. NEXT: at Tulsa, Saturday

91. Utah State (2-4)
BUZZ: The Aggies followed up a big victory over BYU with a loss to Louisiana Tech, That's no way to build momentum. NEXT: vs. Hawaii, Oct. 23

92. Colorado State (1-5)
BUZZ: The Rams' rushing attack finally woke up, as they outrushed Air Force, an impressive feat. Now, Colorado State still lost, but small victories of that nature are important as the Rams try to rebuild. NEXT: vs. UNLV, Saturday

93. Minnesota (1-5)
BUZZ: Hey, what's that sound? Oh, yeah, it's a ticking clock, signifying that Tim Brewster's time in Minneapolis appears to be drawing to an end. NEXT: at Purdue, Saturday

94. Louisiana-Lafayette (2-3)
BUZZ: The Ragin' Cajuns play four of their next five on the road. NEXT: at Troy, Saturday

95. Ohio U. (3-3)
BUZZ: The Bobcats have beaten two FBS teams, and those teams have a combined one win. NEXT: vs. Akron, Saturday

96. Buffalo (2-3)
BUZZ: Here's an example of how stats can lie. Buffalo is 25th in the nation in total defense but 70th in scoring defense. The discrepancy comes about because the Bulls have turned it over 16 times and put their defense in a lot of bad situations. NEXT: at Northern Illinois, Saturday

97. UNLV (1-5)
BUZZ: Take away a game against New Mexico, and the Rebels have allowed at least 30 points in every other outing. NEXT: at Colorado State, Saturday

98. Arkansas State (2-4)
BUZZ: The Red Wolves play their third Big Six foe of the season on Saturday. In the previous two, they've combined for 50 points -- but given up 86. NEXT: at Indiana, Saturday

99. Washington State (1-5)
BUZZ: The Cougars' only win came by one, 23-22, over a FCS program. In every other game, the Cougars have allowed at least 35 points, including two where they surrendered at least 50. NEXT: vs. Arizona, Saturday

100. Kent State (2-3)
BUZZ: The Golden Flashes lead the nation in rush defense (59.6 yards per game) and are allowing just 1.8 yards per carry. NEXT: at Toledo, Saturday

101. Louisiana Tech (2-4)
BUZZ: This week's game ends a stretch in which the Bulldogs have played four of five at home. NEXT: vs. Idaho, Saturday

102. UAB (1-4)
BUZZ: UAB's win came by one point. The Blazers lost one game by one and another by three in double-overtime. The other two losses came by a combined 56 points. NEXT: vs. UTEP, Saturday

103. Bowling Green (1-5)
BUZZ: "Where do we live again?" The Falcons' game Saturday will be their fifth road contest of the season. NEXT: at Temple, Saturday

104. Marshall (1-4)
BUZZ: The Thundering Herd play their third non-Saturday game of the season on Wednesday. NEXT: vs. UCF, Wednesday

105. Duke (1-4)
BUZZ: The Blue Devils' lone win is over a FCS program, and there look to be just one or two winnable games from here on out. NEXT: vs. Miami, Saturday

106. Memphis (1-5)
BUZZ: The Tigers have been held to 13 or fewer points four times, and not surprisingly, they are 116th in the nation in scoring offense. NEXT: vs. Southern Miss, Saturday

107. Western Michigan (2-3)
BUZZ: The Broncos have allowed less than 33 points twice -- and what do you know, they won both those games. NEXT: at Notre Dame, Saturday

108. Ball State (2-4)
BUZZ: Ball State beat Central Michigan two weeks ago, lost to Western Michigan last week and finishes up its "Directional Michigan Tour" this week with a game against Eastern Michigan. NEXT: vs. Eastern Michigan, Saturday

109. Central Michigan (2-4)
BUZZ: The defense started off strong, allowing just 27 points in the first three games. But the Chippewas have become quite generous of late, allowing 106 points in their past three contests. NEXT: vs. Miami of Ohio, Saturday

110. Florida International (1-4)
BUZZ: FIU plays four of its next five on the road. NEXT: at North Texas, Saturday

111. Rice (1-5)
BUZZ: Rice's one win came by a point; no other game has been decided by fewer than 11 points. NEXT: vs. Houston, Saturday

112. Louisiana-Monroe (2-3)
BUZZ: The Warhawks' two wins have come by a combined four points. The three losses, on the other hand, have come by a combined 87. NEXT: at Western Kentucky, Saturday

113. North Texas (1-5)
BUZZ: The Mean Green have lost twice by one point and once by five points. Good news for them is that their next two foes have combined for one win. NEXT: vs. Florida International, Saturday

114. Florida Atlantic (1-4)
BUZZ: FAU scored 32 points in its opener, which it won; the Owls haven't scored more than 17 in a game since. NEXT: at Arkansas State, Oct. 23

115. New Mexico State (1-4)
BUZZ: In last week's game, the Aggies had 206 yards of offense), 11 first downs and committed two turnovers. Good news for NMSU is that the opponent was New Mexico, which committed five turnovers and lost 16-14. NEXT: at Fresno State, Saturday

116. Western Kentucky (0-5)
BUZZ: The Hilltoppers aren't very good. But RB Bobby Rainey is 10th in the nation in rushing at 120.4 yards per game. NEXT: vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Saturday

117. San Jose State (1-5)
BUZZ: The Spartans already have played Nevada, Alabama, Utah and Wisconsin; this week, they get Boise State. NEXT: vs. Boise State, Saturday

118. New Mexico (0-6)
BUZZ: The Lobos won once last season; this season, they easily could finish winless. NEXT: vs. San Diego State, Oct. 23

119. Eastern Michigan (0-6)
BUZZ: When you give up 31 points to Vanderbilt in the first half, you have problems. NEXT: at Ball State, Saturday

120. Akron (0-6)
BUZZ: The Zips are in the midst of a stretch in which they play five of six away from home. NEXT: at Ohio U., Saturday

Mike Huguenin is the college sports editor for Rivals.com. He can be reached at mhuguenin@rivals.com.